WebQuests (ICT Integration)

Know Your Target Market: Gender

All businesses have to establish an identity for themselves in order to be set apart from competing companies. That means that they have to create a distinctive and catchy company name and logo, among other things. After the company's general goals and identity have been developed, then the company must research the market, decide on its core products, and analyze the competition.

Do you think that businesses adequately cater for gender?

Are advertising campaigns discriminating against males or females?

Is there unreasonable exploitation of males or females in advertisements?

Task

Entrepreneurship is a well-publicised theme in your school. Many learners have developed successful small companies individually or in groups in the past. Because of this your school has been approached by the "a large corporation" based in South Africa for assistance with gender-based market research. They would like you to adapt "one of their existing products" so that it is more attractive to "men / women".

In order to make these materials as flexible as possible we have referred to both genders separately and together. For example you will have noted the use of "male / female". You should choose whichever of these you wish to apply to this project, and delete the others. For example, if you are female you would choose to make a product that has been traditionally directed at male markets (e.g. motor bikes) more attractive to females.

Similarly, "a large corporation" and "one of their existing products" can be replaced by a specific company and product with which you will work.

Consider the following questions:
- What do male / female consumers want these days?
- Are they satisfied with the way that products are gender-based?
- What kinds of sales or promotional efforts work and don't work for men / women?

Process

Your deliverables are:

Select one product typically aimed at male / female markets and conduct market research amongst males / females to find out what would make the product more attractive to the opposite gender for which it was originally intended. For example, if motor bike marketing campaigns are aimed at men, what can be done to the product and marketing campaign to attract women buyers? Choose your own example of a product.

Design / adapt the logo for that product to suit the new market audience.

Adapt the name of the product, if necessary.

Adapt one advertisement of the product to suit the new target audience.

Write a press release announcing the product.

In conclusion, produce a slide show presentation in which you

identify the product with which you have been working, and explain why you have chosen this product

use graphs to show the results of the market research for a new target audience

display the new logo, with an explanation of the adaptation that you have made

display the new name, with an explanation of the adaptation that you have made

display the press release

display the adapted advertisement, with an explanation of the adaptation that you have made.

For this assignment, you will work in teams of four and you will divide your task into roles as follows (click on each role for more information):

Market Researcher

Your task is to conduct market research amongst male / females. Find out what they like and dislike about the product. What would make the product more attractive to them? Would they be prepared to pay extra, or do they want to pay less? Design a survey sheet and apply this survey to at least 10 males / females. After conducting the survey design a data analysis tool with which to capture and analyse the information that you collect. You will need to summarise the findings in three paragraphs of text supported by at least one graph.

In addition to these tasks, you will play the role of a team member producing a team product. You must inform your team of your findings and give them feedback as you jointly make decisions on the product and its adaptation. Your final team presentation will be a group effort.

Product manager

Your task is to manage the team and to research the product, similar products and their weaknesses and strengths. The adaptation of the product for the new market is your overall responsibility, but you will rely on your team to give you information and produce the various outputs. Work with and support various team members where necessary.

It is your responsibility to help analyse the market research and suggest adaptations to the logo and product name. Make sure that you are not infringing on competitors' intellectual property rights. You will also have to provide your insight and understanding of the product when your team designs the adaptation to the advertisement. You will write a press release announcing the new product.

In addition to these tasks, you will play the role of a team member producing a team product. You must inform your team of your findings and give them feedback as you jointly make decisions on the product and its adaptation. Your final team presentation will be a group effort.

Graphic artist

Your task is to do the artistic work for the new logo and the advertisement of the product. You may use any application that you know and have available. You will research logos and brands and identify what makes a logo successful. Your adaptations to the logo will have to cater for men / women without losing the successful elements of a logo.

You will work closely with the advertising agent to design the adapted advertisement. The advertisement must be produced as a flyer.

In addition to these tasks, you will play the role of a team member producing a team product. You must inform your team of your findings and give them feedback as you jointly make decisions on the product and its adaptation. Your final team presentation will be a group effort.

Advertising agent

Your task is to understand the criteria of a successful advertisement. You will work with the market researcher to understand what the new target market is looking for in a product and you will suggest adaptations to the product's advertisement. You will work closely with the graphic artist to ensure that these adaptations are carried out on the advertisement. The advertisement must be produced as a flyer.

In addition to these tasks, you will play the role of a team member producing a team product. You must inform your team of your findings and give them feedback as you jointly make decisions on the product and its adaptation. Your final team presentation will be a group effort.

Conclusion

Advertising teaches us a lot about understanding people and being sensitive to stereotypes and gender issues. During this activity you would have had the opportunity to have fun and be creative while, at the same time, you will have gained new insights into the world of marketing.